METAIRIE — The New Orleans Saints made a big and, no doubt, expensive commitment to left tackle Terron Armstead on Tuesday when it was announced that he had been signed to a five-year extension.

Armstead was going to be entering the final year of his current contract. No details of the deal were given, but the contract will keep Armstead in the black and gold through the 2021 season.

“I’m extremely grateful and blessed for this opportunity,” said Armstead. “I would like to thank Mr. and Mrs. Benson, Mickey Loomis, Coach Payton and the entire organization for the faith they have shown in me and my abilities."

The 6-5, 304-pound Armstead was selected by the Saints in the third round (75th overall) of the 2013 NFL Draft from Arkansas Pine-Bluff. Armstead has become a mainstay at left tackle on the New Orleans offensive line since entering the starting lineup in week 15 of his rookie campaign in 2013. Over the span of his three-year NFL career, he has appeared in 33 games with 29 starts. During his first two full seasons in the starting line-up (2014-15), the Saints were the NFL’s top offensive unit averaging over 407 yards per game.

“I am excited that we have been able to reach an agreement with Terron to keep him as a member of the New Orleans Saints,” said Loomis. “Terron is a valuable and important piece to our offense and has shown that he is one of the top players in the game today. The dedication, talent and skill that Terron has demonstrated to begin his career both on the field and off the field have been an asset to the organization and the community and we are pleased that he will be a valuable member of our team for many years to come.”